Asylum package: MEPs deplore lack of progress in Council

Civil Liberties Committee MEPs debated the ongoing discussions with the Council of Ministers on the five "Asylum package" proposals, on which the EP adopted its first reading position in May 2009.

 

On the revision of the reception of asylum seekers directive, EP rapporteur Antonio Masip-Hidalgo (S-D, ES) asked “why is it a dead end in Council? We should deal with this matter expeditiously”. The Council representative replied that “we are far from having any common position that could be taken even to informal talks with the EP”.

 

 

“I don’t want to hear about voluntary measures”, said Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert (ALDE, NL), rapporteur on the revision of the Dublin regulation (on which Member State is responsible for processing an asylum application). So far, the Council has preferred a system for voluntarily sharing this work with Member States at the EU's southern borders, whereas the EP has advocated a compulsory solidarity ("burden-sharing") mechanism. “We have to strike a balance between better conditions for migrants and the speediness of procedures”, the Council Presidency representative replied.

 

“This is a defining dossier, and the ball is clearly in the Council’s court”, said Simon Busuttil (EPP, MT). “This matter is all about solidarity, and voluntary solidarity is really a joke. Some countries don´t want to help".

 

 

EP rapporteur on the establishment of a European Asylum Support Office, Jean Lambert (Greens/EFA, UK), explained that the EP's role within the Office is still a subject to disagreement with EU ministers, as is the degree of involvement of civil society. “Some Member States have difficulties to deal with this matter in co-decision”, she said.

 

On the Eurodac (asylum seekers' finger print data base) regulation, the European Commission has tabled a new proposal that would allow law enforcement authorities to access the database. Monica Luisa Macovei (EPP, RO) argued that its access rules need to be clarified. Sophia In 't Veld (ALDE, NL), asked for more guarantees that that data is not going to be accessible to third countries.

 

On the proposal for an EU resettlement programme, tabled in September, the question is "how to make this programme attractive to Member States?", said the rapporteur on this dossier, Rui Tavares (GUE/NGL, PT). And as to those resettled, "What happens to them afterwards? It's what I'm worried about", he said.

 

 

The asylum package aims to improve the way the EU asylum system works and strengthen asylum seekers' rights. In its first reading, last May, the EP adopted amendments to enhance solidarity among Member States when managing asylum applications, and called for a binding mechanism to be set up before 2012.